Community POTW #5

[Reno]

a 5th gen pokemon? that's gotta be wrong!

yeahno.

me and serebii agreed to push this ahead a few weeks, so have fun, whatever.

in my opinion, the most fun pokemon in the game. being zoroarked, zoroarking someone else, it's hilarious, I love it. not to mention its actually a great pokemon, not just a gimmick. yeah, go wild.

[Serebii]

Two things.

One, take any discussion of our choices here; http://www.serebiiforums.com/showthr...9#post11911359

Two; Remember, when dealing with Illusion that it takes the appearance and name of the non-fainted Pokémon that's last in your team at the turn you switch. So if Zoroark is the one at the bottom of the team, there is no Illusion

[Reno]

also, something I'm really excited to write about is the partners section for zoroark. as much input on that would be awesome, as honestly... zoroark is the most fun pokemon in the game.

[spentendo]

Chessmaster in Disguise

Nasty Plot
Dark Pulse/Night Burst
Extrasensory
Focus Blast/Flamethrower
Item: Leftovers/Life Orb
EVS: 4 HP/252 Sp.ATK/252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -ATK)/Modest Nature (+Sp.ATK, -ATK)

Zoroark's natural element of surprise allows you to get up a free Nasty Plot when they realize that the Infernape they just Psychic'd isn't an Infernape at all. From there, just use Night Burst or Dark Pulse to kick some serious butt. Dark Pulse has more accuracy and a flinch chance, but Night Burst has slightly more power and a surprisingly useful chance for an Accuracy drop. Extrasensory provides coverage against Fighting types that might come in on your STAB move. Focus Blast hist Steels and opposing Dark types and is powerful, but has infamously bad accuracy. Flamethrower decimates Steels with reliable accuracy and hits most Dark types neutrally, but sadly, it makes you a sitting duck against Tyranitar.

[Ghosts of the Forums]

Your Basic Zoroark
Item: Choice Specs/Expert Belt
Nature: Modest (+Sp.atk, -atk)
EVs: 4 Hp, 252 Sp.atk, 252 Spd
Night Burst
Extrasensory
Flamethrower
Focus Blast
A pretty simple set to use: smash something with Zoroark's amazingly high special attack. The Choice Specs add power, but the Expert Belt is almost as good, and it allows the usage of more than one move.

Partners: Pokemon such as Alakazam can handle some of Zoroark's weaknesses, but if you can bring a pokemon that resists some of Zoroark's weaknesses in the back of your team, such as Weezing, then you can fake out your opponents.

[Beastiken9]

Zoroark@life orb
modest
substitute
nasty plot
focus blast
night burst/dark pulse
252sp atk 252spd
basically, set up a sub on the fooled opponent, then proceed to nasty plot. Focus blast and dark pulse have pretty good coverage. Leftovers maybe better than life orb for this set because of the substitute.

[Missingno. Master]

Zoroark@Wise Glasses
Timid nature
252 Sp.Atk/252 Spd/4 HP
~Nasty Plot
~Dark Pulse/Shadow Ball
~Flamethrower/Fire Blast
~HP Ground

Pair this thing with Weezing. More and more stuff is carrying Psychic because of Conkeldurr, so of course they'll use it on what appears to be Weezing. Predict this and NP up. Until then try to pass it off as an attacking Weezing. If it's a choiced Psychic, NP again on the switch and commence sweepage.

[_Calm|Mind_]

Child Molester

Zoroark @ Rare Candy
Ability: Illusion
Naughty nature
EV's: 252 Atk/252 Spe/4 HP
- Scary Face
- Imprison
- Torment
- Foul Play

[MasterLucario]

"Zoroark wants to get physical"
Physical Zoroark
Zoroark @Life Orb/ Focus Sash
Adamant Nature (+Att. -Sp Att.)
4 HP/ 252 Att./ 252 Speed
- Hone Claws
- Night Slash/ Pursiut
- Sucker Punch
- Aerial Ace/ U-Turn
Sort of a novelty set, that might work well if used correctly. Doesn't have a great movepool, but good STAB moves to cover for that. Adamant nature, as you want the max attack possible on this set. Night Slash for your standard, main attacking STAB move. Pursuit to catch things maybe scared of Zoroark on the switch. Sucker Punch is helpful to hit things faster than zoroark, and makes a good revenge killing move. Aerial ace to hit fighting types that want to KO zoroark. U-Turn to get out of there, or to hit other dark types.
Pairs: Zoroark would like a ghost type to cover for fighting weakness and bug, such as Burungeru or Desukan.

[ddrox]

idk about anything but moves and items but here i go
zoroark@expert belt
dark pulse
nasty plot/calm mind
focus blast
shadow ball

i would pair this set with darkrai.
have zoroark use nasty plot or calm mind behind darkrais dark void and when the enemy wakes up pound them with your other moves.

[Sweep Freak]

Reno, I wouldn't mind throwing in some ideal partners.

Smeargle can learn everything and can be tricky when coming. But, Sazandora can learn the exact set that Zoroark can.

I'll get some sets later, but for now, that's it.

[Aurath8]

Problem with Night Burst is that it immediately reveals that you are a Zoroark. Of course the Psychic immunity will help too. He gets great synergy with Roopushin since Roopushin hits the Steels Zoro has trouble with and Zoroark can take Psychics that Conlkedurr would hate. Conkles can tank amazingly too and OHKO prevo-stone Chansey for Zoro.

@Sweep Freak: Sazandora doesn't get Nasty Plot.

[jespoke]

This is my first set, so tell me if something can be done better.

NastyArk

- Nasty Plot
- Night Burst
- Flamethrower
- Extrasensory/Grass Knot/Focus Blast

@ Life Orb/ Leftovers
Illusion
Modest (+SAtk, -Atk)
Ev's 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 Def

A set were Zoroark's good special attack gets even bigger. Nasty Plot is the way Zoroark is going to boost is special attack. Night Burst Is Zoroark's signature move, and its strongest special STAB. Flamthrower can handle Steel's, and is one of the best moves in Zoroarks shallow special movepool. The last option open for most of Zoroarks special moves. Extrasensory covers its remaining weakness, Fighting, but Grass Knot covers important typs like Water and Ground. Lastly there is Focus Blast If you want pure power, and some other coverage.

Illusion is utilised best by looking like a pokemon that can force out an opponent that won't survive a +2 STAB Night Burst.

Edit: I was too slow! My set was written in 3 ways in the time it took me to make it.

[Vivmeister]

"Zoroark wants to get physical"
Physical Zoroark
Zoroark @Life Orb/ Focus Sash
Adamant Nature (+Att. -Sp Att.)
4 HP/ 252 Att./ 252 Speed
- Hone Claws
- Night Slash/ Pursiut
- Sucker Punch
- Aerial Ace/ U-Turn
Sort of a novelty set, that might work well if used correctly. Doesn't have a great movepool, but good STAB moves to cover for that. Adamant nature, as you want the max attack possible on this set. Night Slash for your standard, main attacking STAB move. Pursuit to catch things maybe scared of Zoroark on the switch. Sucker Punch is helpful to hit things faster than zoroark, and makes a good revenge killing move. Aerial ace to hit fighting types that want to KO zoroark. U-Turn to get out of there, or to hit other dark types.
Pairs: Zoroark would like a ghost type to cover for fighting weakness and bug, such as Burungeru or Desukan.

For this set, wouldn't you want Swords Dance over Hone Claws? There's no physical moves there that would require an accuracy boost and you'd get a better attack increase.

[salaswampert]

Coolest ability ever.
zoro@lifeorb
illusion
naive +spe -spdef
56att/200spatt/252spe
nasty plot/ focus blast
flamethrower
grass knot
night slash/night burst
Life orb is to kill pokemon who would normaly survive your attacks. Illusion, the coolest ability, and like anyone cares zorarks only ability. But the coolest, most fun ability. Nature makes zorark hit really really fast. The evs are pretty self explanitory. Nasty plot raises zorarks spattack, it doubles it. Focus blast is for type diversity though nasty plot is better. Flamethrower kills steel pokemon, such as skamory, grass knot is a death sentence to most bulky waters or ground, especialy swampert who has a quadruple grass weakness.
night slash kills special walls and gets stab. Night burst is a special stab, but with it zorark can be walled fairly easily.
A great partner would be gengar. It is weak to both phycic and ghost both of which zorark resists; furthermore, gengar is not affected by fighting moves and bug attacks suck against him so you would lose his weaknesses. Also because gengar is a special pokemon a phisical move zorark could murder swith ins like chancey. Other ghosts work ok but i think gengar rocks.

[salaswampert]

Coolest ability ever.
zoro@lifeorb
illusion
naive +spe -spdef
56att/200spatt/252spe
nasty plot/ focus blast
flamethrower
grass knot
night slash/night burst
Life orb is to kill pokemon who would normaly survive your attacks. Illusion, the coolest ability, and like anyone cares zorarks only ability. But the coolest, most fun ability. Nature makes zorark hit really really fast. The evs are pretty self explanitory. Nasty plot raises zorarks spattack, it doubles it. Focus blast is for type diversity though nasty plot is better. Flamethrower kills steel pokemon, such as skamory, grass knot is a death sentence to most bulky waters or ground, especialy swampert who has a quadruple grass weakness.
night slash kills special walls and gets stab. Night burst is a special stab, but with it zorark can be walled fairly easily.
A great partner would be gengar. It is weak to both phycic and ghost both of which zorark resists; furthermore, gengar is not affected by fighting moves and bug attacks suck against him so you would lose his weaknesses. Also because gengar is a special pokemon a phisical move zorark could murder swith ins like chancey. Other ghosts work ok but i think gengar rocks.

[Monochromatic]

Just a thought from a complete newbie:

Wouldn't U-Turn be a good counter for Zoroark?

Zoro takes X2 damage from U-turn due to Bug weakness (It has a decent 70 BP, not to mention Zoro's weak (60) base defenses), which could break his Illusion, while also giving you a chance to switch. Just a theory from a complete newbie.

[Vivmeister]

Just a thought from a complete newbie:

Wouldn't U-Turn be a good counter for Zoroark?

Zoro takes X2 damage from U-turn due to Bug weakness (It has a decent 70 BP, not to mention Zoro's weak (60) base defenses), which could break his Illusion, while also giving you a chance to switch. Just a theory from a complete newbie.

Yeah U-Turn absolutely murders Zoroark. It's just a question of if your attacking Zoroark unless you've already broke through its illusion.

[BuizelBeatsEverything]

Supportoark

-Protect
-Sucker Punch
-Toxic
-U-Turn

Leafovers
Illusion
Adamant (+Atk,-SAtk)
Max Speed, Attack. Leftover go into Defense.

The main key to this set is Toxic, then Protect to stall for damage, while Leftovers recovers what HP you do lose. Sucker Punch guarantee's that if they attack you, you'll hit them first, and U-Turn is for a quick escape from Bug or Fighting types that'll rip you to shreds.

[Vivmeister]

Coolest ability ever.
zoro@lifeorb
illusion
naive +spe -spdef
56att/200spatt/252spe
nasty plot/ focus blast
flamethrower
grass knot
night slash/night burst
Life orb is to kill pokemon who would normaly survive your attacks. Illusion, the coolest ability, and like anyone cares zorarks only ability. But the coolest, most fun ability. Nature makes zorark hit really really fast. The evs are pretty self explanitory. Nasty plot raises zorarks spattack, it doubles it. Focus blast is for type diversity though nasty plot is better. Flamethrower kills steel pokemon, such as skamory, grass knot is a death sentence to most bulky waters or ground, especialy swampert who has a quadruple grass weakness.
night slash kills special walls and gets stab. Night burst is a special stab, but with it zorark can be walled fairly easily.
A great partner would be gengar. It is weak to both phycic and ghost both of which zorark resists; furthermore, gengar is not affected by fighting moves and bug attacks suck against him so you would lose his weaknesses. Also because gengar is a special pokemon a phisical move zorark could murder swith ins like chancey. Other ghosts work ok but i think gengar rocks.

Agreed, Gengar is probably Zoroark's best illusion. You think you're gonna KO a Gengar with Psychic then "It doesn't affect the foe's Gengar!" That rocks if you're the Zoroark while your foe is fuming claiming hax.